|
Cont’d from page 1
Opioids: There are many opiates used for the control of pain: morphine, codeine, fentayl, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and methadone are just a few. Opiates produce analgesia or calming of pain. They are characterized by rapid tolerance. When you stop using opiates you go through severe withdrawal. You can't die from it; most people wish they could. Opiates reduce alertness by increasing the inhibitory function in the brain.
Central Nervous Stimulants: These include cocaine and amphetamines.
Marijuana: marijuana does have a number of negative effects. It can negatively affect driving skills and produces addiction. The active ingredient in marijuana is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. A person can test positive for up to 30 days after use.
Club Drugs: there are several of them: LSD, acid, roofies, ecstasy, special K, and Angel dust. All club drugs affect driving skills because of a distortion of vision and other senses. These drugs cause a highly reduced reaction time and reduced judgment.
Abuse versus dependency: Drug abuse is a voluntary situation where people are making bad choices about their use of the drugs for self-anesthetization, for celebration or just wanting to get a high. Chemical dependency is a brain disease caused by genetic vulnerability, drug use and environmental influences. Generally, if a drug abuser is educated about the adverse effects of drugs or they are coerced by a loved one or they are punished in some way, the drug use will decline. In dependence, people cannot stop using the drug. This is called impaired control over drug use. Both are serious drug use conditions.
Who becomes dependent? Statistics show:
One in four people who use heroin will become dependent.
One in five people who use cocaine will become dependent.
One in six or seven people who use alcohol will become dependent.
One in 10 people who use marijuana will become dependent.
One in 10 people who use amphetamines will become dependent.
One in 10 people who use benzodiazepines will become dependent.
One in 10 people who use opiates will become dependent.
One in 20 people who use psychedelics will become dependent.
Chronic drug addiction leads to a drug personality—the type of person whose action and thoughts are determined by his constant need to take drugs. Drug personalities may anger easily, can become violent, are frequently depressed, alienated from family members, have few friends except fellow addicts, are unable to maintain jobs, often feel persecuted, and may be unable to acknowledge their addiction; drugs become their idols.
“He idolizes what is more apt to harm him than benefit him. What a miserable lord! What a miserable companion!” (22:13)
Worship God Alone To Overcome Drug Abuse
Because of their addictive quality, drugs and intoxicants stay with a person for a long time. In order to stop taking drugs, a person must have a better substitute in life—a belief, a bond, a greater motivation to seek happiness and balance in fulfilling ways. God is the source of all happiness. When a person begins to realize this, he or she can wean away from substance abuse. In the Quran, God enjoins worshipers not to pray when intoxicated.
O you who believe, do not observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) while intoxicated, so that you know what you are saying...” (4:43)
Evidently, during the time verse 4:43 was revealed, there were people who took intoxicants, probably alcohol. Yet, they were motivated to pray to God and seek His guidance. Being human, we are all susceptible to Satan’s tricks to distract us from remembering God. The sincere believers who took intoxicants gradually overcame their alcoholism to please God. How could a sincere believer pray five times a day and continue to take intoxicants?
Happiness and peace of mind is only attainable by worshiping God alone, and God relieves one from confusion, fear, grief and a sense of hopelessness.
Guaranteed Happiness Now and Forever
Anyone who works righteous, male or female, while believing, we will surely grant them a happy life in this world, and we will surely pay them their full recompense (on the Day of Judgment) for their righteous works. (16:97)
The more one depends on drugs, the more unhappy one becomes. The drug user must learn to trust God and stop taking intoxicants. This is the most effective substance abuse program.
If anyone thinks that God cannot support him in this life and in the Hereafter, let him turn completely to (his Creator in) heaven, and sever (his dependence on anyone else). He will see that this plan eliminates anything that bothers him.
We have thus revealed clear revelations herein, then God guides whomever He wills. (22:15-16).
* * * * *
Perhaps one of the greatest rewards of meditation and prayer is the sense of peace that comes to us. We no longer live in a completely hostile world. We are no longer lost and frightened and purposeless. The moment we catch even a glimpse of God’s will … the real and eternal things in life, we are no longer deeply disturbed by all that surrounds us in purely human affairs. We know that God lovingly watches over us. We know that when we turn to Him, all will be well with us, here and hereafter.